In its weekly roundup, the Moscow Migration Center (Миграционный центр Москвы), the city service that provides migration-related guidance, specifically stated that a “green card” by itself does not confirm a foreign national’s right to work. For an employer, this is a signal to structure checks around the complete list cited by the Center in its official guidance, rather than around a single document.
One document does not replace an HR check
The wording used by the Moscow Migration Center is particularly important for hiring practices and internal controls. If the decision to admit a candidate or employee to work is based solely on the presence of a “green card,” such a check does not comply with the Center’s guidance. The document itself does not confirm the right to work without the other required documents.
At the same time, the material provided does not specify which documents are required in a particular situation. Therefore, the safe working approach is not to compile a list based on summaries or construct one independently, but to check the official guidance from the Moscow Migration Center. This makes it possible to distinguish confirmed information from assumptions.
How to incorporate the guidance into the hiring process
The check should be carried out before a personnel decision is based on a single document. The practical meaning of the Center’s message is to treat the “green card” as an element that cannot be assessed in isolation. In the candidate’s or employee’s file, it is useful to note separately that the check covered more than just that document.
This approach helps an HR professional explain why the presence of one familiar document does not complete the check. However, the publication does not establish the form of control, the contents of the personnel file, or the sequence of internal approvals. An employer may choose its own process, but the contents of the checklist should be taken from the official material.
Patent: do not replace facts with risk conclusions
The roundup also states that interruptions in patent payments must not be allowed. For an employer, this means that payment should be addressed when interacting with an employee if the matter concerns a patent (a work authorization document for certain foreign nationals). However, the source excerpt does not support drawing specific legal, HR, or financial conclusions about the consequences of such an interruption.
It is also not possible to state payment deadlines, amounts, fines, or an employer’s obligation to monitor payment: this information is not included in the material provided. If a company needs an answer concerning a specific employee, it should look for it in the full official guidance, rather than in the brief weekly roundup.
Applying for a patent: what to consider when planning a visit
The Moscow Migration Center reported the procedure for submitting patent applications: from 8:00 to 12:00, documents are accepted by appointment. After 12:00, applicants who booked in advance have priority. This is useful to consider when an employer coordinates an employee’s visit or plans the time for submitting documents.
The message does not specify the reception address, booking method, list of documents, availability of walk-in appointments, or other organizational details. Therefore, it is sufficient to use it as a guide to opening hours and priority, but not as complete filing instructions. Any missing conditions must be checked in the current official information.
“Amina” and migration registration: do not expand the list independently
From 1 September 2026, the “Amina” app will begin to be used by additional categories of foreign nationals for migration registration (the procedure for registering a foreign national’s stay). For an employer, this is a reason to note the change if the company assists employees with migration matters or receives questions from them about the app.
However, the original publication does not provide the list of new categories, nor does it explain the procedure for renewing a patent for a second year using “Amina.” Therefore, a specific employee cannot be presumed in advance to be required to use the app. First, the employee’s category and the applicable procedure must be confirmed using an official source.
What to check
- Do not treat a “green card” as the sole basis for allowing a foreign national to work.
- Compare the employee’s set of documents with the official guidance from the Moscow Migration Center (Миграционный центр Москвы).
- Record in the HR check which documents were provided in addition to the “green card.”
- Do not draw conclusions about the consequences of an interruption in patent payments: they are not specified in the original publication.
- When sending an employee to submit patent documents, take into account the appointment-based reception schedule from 8:00 to 12:00.
- Do not classify an employee as an “Amina” user without checking the employee’s category against official information.